Friction spring mechanism.



PATENTED SEPT. 6, 1904. P. HIEN. PRIGTION SPRING MBCHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 14, 1904.

fa f @o INVETOR N0 MODEL.

'UNITED STATES PI-IILLIP HIEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Patented VSeptember 6, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

FmoTloN SPRING. lvlEcl-mmlslw.r

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 769,160, dated September 6, 1904-..

Application filed January 14,1904.v Serial No. 189,003. (No model.) i

T0 all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that LPI-IILLIP HIEN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have inventeda certain new and useful Improvement in Friction Spring Mechanism, of .which improvement the following is a specification.

This invention relates in general to friction 'spring devices, and more particularlyto'that type of springs composed of a pluralityof overlapping or intercalated resilient plates or leaves which are subjected to a relative sliding movement upon eachother as the plates are deflected under a transverse strain; and one of the objects of the invention is to provide means for greatly increasing the relative sliding movement of the plates upon yeach other under a given amount of transverse deflection, and thereby greatly increase the friction al resistance of the spring mechanism. In the ordinary elliptical springs of this character, as heretofore used, the several plates or leaves composing the spring Yhave usually all been secured together at substantially the same point, so that as the free portion .of adjacent plates slide in the same direction only a small amount of frictional resistance is generated. By means of my improvement the free portions of adjacent plates are caused to slide upon each other in relatively opposite directions when the plates are deflected transversely under strain, whereby the frictional resistance offered is vastly increased.

v While my invention is broadly applicable'to springs of this type generally', it is more especially adapted to be employed in connection with draft appliances for railway-cars for eX- erting a yielding resistance in transmitting strains and gradually absorbing shocks between the draw-bar and the car-frame incidentto the running and switching of railwaysection being Vtaken on the line m of Fig. 3;

Fig. 2, a longitudinal section taken onthe line y y of Fig. 3; and Fig. 3, a central transverse section of the device shown in Figs. 1 andQ.. f

According ,to the construction shown, the springs are composed of two or moresets or nests formed of a plurality of intercalated or overlapping curved resilient plates 4, the sets being reversely curved, so as to resemble elliptical springs, and the plates 4 being preferably located in a casing 7, with the opposite ends of adjacent plates abutting against the opposite side walls of the casing. These ends may be enlarged or thickened, if desired, as indicated at 14, for securing a larger and firmer bearingbetween the ends of the plates and the casing. In order to holdthe opposite ends of adjacent plates fixed to the casing and allow for the expansion or sliding movement ofthe free ends of adjacent plates in opposite directions, the ends of alternateplates 4 on the same side of the casing are provided with notches 13, which engage or fit over the ribs 12, running longitudinally of the casing. The free ends of the plates may alsobe cut away or notched on the corners, if necessary, to prevent striking the ribson the opposite side of thecasing when the plates are subject to transverse deiiection under strain.

When the springs are made in the elliptical form shown in the drawings, I preferably provide a pair of reversely-curved free plates 5 on the inside of the `ellipse and having. their ends bearing upon eachother, and another free plate 6 is provided on the outer or conveX side of the bunch orl nest of fixed-ended plates 4 for the purpose of transmitting the thrust or strain directly to the other plates to deflect the same.

The casing Z is preferably made in the form of-a rectangular boX with open ends, through which the plates may be inserted and slipped along on the ribs into position.

'In order to retain the plates snugly in position at all times when the mechanism is not `subjected to strain, the plates 8 may be employed'having right-angled extensions 9, provided with slots for engaging the rivets or bolts 11, carried by the casing. Vhen the springs are expanded to the normal position, the plates 8 are held against further outward movement by means of the rivets 11 engaging the ends of the slots 10; but when the mechanism is subjected to a strain applied to either or both of the plates 8 these plates are moved inward, causing a transverse deflection of the resilient plates 1. This action produces a flattening of thelellipse and astraightening of the curved plates, and since opposite ends of adjacent plates abut against opposite sides of the casing a sliding movement of the free ends of the plates upon each other will be produced, each plate sliding in the opposite direction to that Aof its two adjacent plates, thereby creating a considerable amount of frictional resistance in addition to the spring resistance for opposing the strain. Vllhen the strain or pressure upon the follower-plates 8 is relieved, the springs expand A by virtue of the resiliency of the curved plates and reassume their normal position, the opposite ends of adjacent plates being held in their relatively fixed positions by means of the notches 13 therein engaging the ribs 12 of the casing and preventing their ends from sliding inward. This causes the relative sliding movement of the adjacent plates on themselves in opposite directions in the release action of the mechanism in the reverse order from that before described when the mechanism is subjected to strain.

While I have illustrated a rectangular casing for holding my improved spring mechanism, it is obvious that it may be otherwise mounted, and various means may be devised for securing the opposite ends of adjacent plates or for causing said adjacent plates to slide upon each other in opposite directions when subjected to transverse deflection.

It will also be seen that my improvement is adapted to give any desired amount of frictional resistance and that the device is compactly arranged and may be readily applied nested together, and means for causing a sliding movement of one set of alternate plates in one direction and the other set of alternate plates in the opposite direction when transversely ,deiiected 4i. A friction spring mechanism comprising a plurality of transversely-resilient plates nested together, and means for holding the opposite ends of adjacent plates relatively fixed when the plates are transversely deflected.

5. A friction spring mechanism comprising` a plurality of transversely-resilient curved plates overlapping each other, and means for causing a relative sliding movement of adjacent plates in opposite directions when subjected to transverse deection.

6. A friction springmechanismcomprising a plurality of intercalated resilient curved plates, and means for holding opposite ends of adjacent plates relatively fixed when subjected to transverse deflection.

7. A friction spring mechanismcomprising two or more sets of reversely-curved resilient plates, the plates of each set overlapping each other, and means for causing a relative sliding movement of adjacent plates in opposite directions when subjected to transverse deiiection.

8. A friction spring mechanism comprising two or more sets of reversely-curved springplates, those of each set overlapping eachother, and means for holding the opposite ends of adjacent plates relatively liXed when the sets are subjected to transversedeflection.

9. Afriction springmechanism comprising a casing, a plurality of resilient plates placed transversely therein and overlapping each other, and means for securing opposite ends of adjacent plates to the casing.

10. A friction spring mechanism comprising a casing containing a plurality of transversely-resilient curved plates overlapping each other, and means for securing opposite ends of adjacent plates at opposite sides of the casing.

11. A friction spring mechanism comprising a casing containing two or more sets of reversely-curved transversely-resilient plates, the plates of each set overlapping each other, and means for securing opposite ends of adjacent plates at opposite sides of the casing.

12. A friction spring mechanism comprisingacasing having alongitudinal rib or flange on opposite sides, and a plurality of transversely-resilient overlapping plates located therein, adjacent plates having notches at opposite ends for engaging said rib.

13. A friction spring mechanism comprising two or more sets of reversely-curved resilient plates overlapping each other and of an elliptical form, adjacent plates being relatively lixed at opposite ends, and a pair of IOO reVersely-curved free plates located upon the inner or concave sides ofthe ellipse and havingtheir ends engage each other.

14. A friction spring mechanism comprising a casing, a plurality of transversely-resilient overlapping plates located therein,

f means for securing opposite ends of adjacent plates at opposite sides ofthe casing,` and means slidaloly mounted upon the casing for normally retaining said plates in position. IO

Inl testimony whereof. lhave hereunto set my hand.

PHILLIP HIEN.

Witnesses:

GEO. L. WILKINSON, C. C. CUNNINGHAM. 

